


Warriors: Pitfall - AWAKENING

by wpf_series



Series: Warriors: Pitfall [1]
Category: Original Work, Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Language, Religious Conflict, light Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:27:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25978201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wpf_series/pseuds/wpf_series
Summary: Inspired by the world of Warriors by Erin Hunter, 'Pitfall' takes place in a similar landscape years upon years disconnected from the mainline series. The clans are only moons removed from another boundary war that has left them desperate for a return to normalcy  and compassion.  Palekit, the protagonist, is a lost kitten thrown into this world as it's vying to rebuild itself and find its footing.  Along with him, Falconkit his best friend, and the other young apprentices of all the four clans are now vessels of the new world and expected live up to the great expectations their elders see in them, and to also undo the wrongs of the generation prior.Join Palekit and Falconkit as they grow into themselves, learn about their true destiny, and try to create a better world for the future.
Series: Warriors: Pitfall [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1885501
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	1. Prolouge

**Author's Note:**

> Edited by: Bailee @undivineshepard on Twitter  
> & Yuvee @ultravioletbyte on Twitter

“W… where is he?” A shaky and exhausted voice whispered in the darkness. 

All around there were signs of a storm in the early morning. The grass was muddy with puddles spread throughout. The sky was dark with light failing to force its way through the clouds to signal the end of rain. In the middle of it all, a barn falling apart at the hinges had water dripping from the entrance and its beaten down holes. The sounds of the long gone storm were the only response to the question the voice received. 

Pained, the voice asked again,

“Where is he?” The voice asked slow and sternly once more.

The question was directed at a hunched over shadow in the back of the barn, and the mirage gave a grieving shudder in response.

“I promise I tried...I promise I tried,” the shadow breathed out.

\--

Tiny white paws sprinted across a muddy brush. Here, the rain was still going in a light drizzle and it created a flooded path that rippled restlessly alongside the hurried footsteps. Blood followed in the little animal’s wake and the sound of a far out cawing echoed in the trees, scaring all the mice and rabbits inside their burrows.

\---

“You were supposed to be watching him!” the first voice hissed in grief, “I left him to you! How could this possibly happen? All you had to do was stay inside!”

The Shadow in the barn lifted their head slowly and let their pained blue eyes turn to face the accusations head on. 

“I’m going to go looking for him,” they responded in a pained growl. Frustration flooded the blue-eyed shadow’s face, but a solemn feeling consumed them, “I know it looks bad now, but -”

“Do you honestly think he’s survived in this storm?!” The Voice hissed before the response could finish, backing them into a corner, “we could feel the tremors from inside the house, there is flooding well over our feet, and you’re going to go looking for him? For what? So you can bring a corpse back to me and think that’s going to make up for it?”

\---

The sprinting and panicked paws got suddenly interrupted by a protruding vine in the mud and the little white figure tripped and went tumbling in the mud. He went tumbling in a circle, the dirt and gunk dirtying his bright fur beyond recognition. The loss of breath and blood overwhelmed the small kitten into a dizzied state, but he couldn’t stop moving; above him, the shadows of a bird began to circle and he followed it with his eyes carefully while he tried to think of an escape.

\---

“You don’t understand,” the blue eyed shadow began to argue, “I need you to trust me...I know it’s hard to grasp, and I can’t explain why, but I have…” the voice hesitated, “I have a gut  _ feeling _ , our son is alright, so please...please...”

“Our son… our son…,” the voice whispered, “our son… our son…” the voice began to crack into tears, “he’s gone… he’s gone…”

“He’s not -  _ please _ listen to me, please…”

\---

The kitten’s eyes managed to pin its sights on an empty burrow within a tree. Shakily standing, he made his way to the hole watching the shadow of the bird intently… noticing it was coming in slowly to try and snatch him unexpectedly. 

The kitten smirked at the bird’s cockiness, fully intending to take advantage of it.

\----

The broken down barn was only filled with the sound of wails now, the loud echoes of bawling and yowling suffocated the space. The shadow and two more small kitten figures surrounded the crying voice and sat with them as they grieved. Their body was shaking uncontrollably, and they were entirely and wholly inconsolable. 

The blue eyed shadow had given up on trying to convince them now. They simply rested their head on the other’s and did what they could to comfort them.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… it’s my fault...it’s my fault…”

\----

The kitten was in agonizing pain, but he knew he had one more burst energy in him to get this right. He mockingly hobbled closer and closer to his destination while giving the stalking bird the impression he was going to be an easy snatch. If he ran all the way there he would surely tire himself out and not make it, but if he could be patient... and drag himself to the burrows of the tree while the hawk took its sweet time on perceivably easy prey… then...

The moment the kitten got close to the entrance of the tree, The Hawk decided it was time to swoop in.

Sensing it, the kitten used the last of his energy to sprint and hurl himself into the tree’s burrow. The Hawk, not expecting his prey to be so agile began to dart in faster. Letting out a haunting echoing caw The Hawk prepares to throw all his weight into catching the kitten.

\----

“It’s my fault…” The Shadow whispered again. The crying from The Voice had worn itself into an exhausted sob, but The Shadow still wanted to be by their side. There was no way their son’s survival could be explained right now, but… but…

_ I know he’s alright, _ The Shadow thought to themself,  _ he was raised to survive…He’s definitely survived…somehow, someway he has, and I promise when I find him, this family will be able to live together again.  _

_ This family will be able to live together again. _

\----

By the skin of his tail, The Hawk’s talons barely managed to scrape him and the kitten made way to dive head first into the tree. With a heavy thud into the far back of the trunk, The Hawk uselessly jabbed his beak in and let out an angry caw at losing his prey. Winded and exhausted, the kitten shook his head and pressed his entire body as far into the trunk as he could and hissed at the entrance. The Hawk, simply squinted and backed out slowly, letting its presence linger as if to say  _ this isn’t over _ . In an instant, he was up in the air, flapping his wings away to rest in the trees above.

The kitten waited until there was no movement, no signs the hawk was coming back in, before he slouched over and collapsed in exhaustion. The blood dripping from his feet and back covered the dirt and leaves beneath him, though he had no mind to clean it. He tried to calm his own labored breathing, and before he knew it, he was blacking out.

\---

  
  


\---

“Our family won’t be able to be together again for a long time,” a red furred and lanky male cat’s voice cracked in pain while he smiled down at a small grey and red kitten wrapped up neatly in leaves like a blanket. It was snowing, and the kitten was sound asleep, comfortable.   


In the distance, the sound of yowling cats could be heard echoing through the trees. The sounds were distorted in anger and agony, and it heavily contrasted the sweeter sight of the kitten’s slow breathing as he rested.

Twitching his ear, discomforted by the sound, the older red cat picked the kitten up and tenderly placed him into the bushes.

“The way this place is now will not be yours to inherit,” his face twisted with grief as he watched the sleeping figure, “It  _ can’t  _ be. Not if I can help it... I promise,” the red cat whispered.

Backing away from the bush, the red cat gave a solemn look at the brush before closing his eyes and stalking away. Turning a determined gaze toward the sound of wailing cats, he headed straight out.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited by: Bailee @undivineshepard on Twitter  
> & Yuvee @ultravioletbyte on Twitter

It was a flowery and beautiful newleaf morning in ThunderClan camp. The gorge was heavily decorated with celebratory rosaries and the sun was gleaming just right into the camp. There was a terrible storm the night prior but ThunderClan only got the backend of it— the only remaining evidence of rain was the leftover dew dripping off of the red rose petals and the sound of cats walking across left over puddles in the ground.

There was a perfect sunbathing spot made on the utmost rocks on the outskirts of the gorge that only appeared on the sunniest days of the year. While most cats generally avoided the area from being preoccupied with clan duties, one cat was known to shamelessly take his spot on the stones every morning, strewn out on his back with a leaf laid over his eyes to block the rays.

“Cedarshade.” A tall, lanky, jet-black cat groaned up at the tortoiseshell lounging in the sunlight.

When the only response was faint snoring, The Black Cat flicked her tail irritably and raised her voice again, “Cedarshade!”

Cedarshade flinched in surprise, causing the leaf over his eyes to slip and reveal a startled followed by exhausted gaze. He peered down at whoever was shouting at him and squinted, blinking to try and see the figure more clearly with his sleepy vision.

“Huh.. waaw… what, yes?” Cedarshade mumbled as he staggered off of his perch.

The cat below shook her head in disappointment and continued, “Cedarshade, I need you to take a lone patrol,” she worded carefully as to not confuse the dazed tom any more than necessary. “While you’re out, just bring back whatever you can, please.”

“What?  _ ‘Lone?’ _ ” Cedarshade whined, “Why alone?” 

He shook his head to finally get a clearer idea of who he was talking to. However, the realization did nothing to take the despondence out of his voice.

“Shadestar… why just me? Where’s everyone else?”

Shadestar’s demeanor was calm, but her swishing tail revealed a growing loss of patience with his sluggishness. “Everyone else, including myself, are taking our apprentices to their mandatory second assessments.” 

From behind her another she-cat peeked around with bashful amber eyes. Dwarfed by Shadestar, her grey-black coat was bushed up in all directions.

“You’re still the only one without an apprentice, and prey is running pretty rampant…” Shadestar looked up and pointed her nose toward a circle of birds hovering above the forest ground. Cedarshade followed her gaze, still squinting, as his eyes hadn't yet adjusted to the light.

“See? It’s like all the dangerous birds came from the mountains to steal our food. You really don’t have to bring a haul, just enough for the adults and elders. The apprentices will catch their own. So again, please.”

Cedarshade clenched his teeth, still disgusted with the idea of hunting on his own. “Can I at least have some help? Can’t Timberfur come… or something…”

“That’s a ridiculous question, no.” 

She was about to continue on to threaten him into complying until a tiny voice spoke up between the leader and warrior.

“Or.. orrrrr…!” The squeaky sound started, “You could make  _ me  _ an apprentice a lil’ early so I can bring even  _ more  _ food!”

“Falconkit…” the she-cat apprentice who had previously been behind Shadestar spoke up with a light laugh turning toward the grey-red kitten.

Shadestar laughed, fond, removing her attention from Cedarshade uptop and instead meeting Falconkit at eye level. “Uh-huh. You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Falconkit?”

“I would! I would! I really-really- _ really  _ would!” Falconkit bounced around looking up at Cedarshade and wagging his tail as though he were a dog.

“Cedarshade!” Falconkit screamed up at him, “let me ccooooooooomeee!”

“Ah… Falconkit,” Cedarshade started with a clenched throat, “Um, I don’t…”

“Two moons, Falconkit.  _ Two moons! _ ” An exasperated voice, cloying with a lingering sweetness, sounded from behind the group. “Can’t you wait just two more moons until you resort to goading Shadestar into taking you away from me?” 

“Good morning, Springcloud,” Shadestar bowed her head.

“Good morning, Shadestar,” turning to the amber-eyed apprentice still crouched behind Shadestar, she bowed her head. “and good morning to you too Amberpaw, I’m sorry my child is causing problems this early in the morning.”

“It’s quite alright,” Shadestar laughed. “Falconkit is never a problem.”

While the adults chattered, Falconkit began to claw his way up to Cedarshade while the tortoiseshell tom looked down, nervous, not sure whether to stop him or not.

“Hey, hey hey!” Springcloud panicked and ran over to grab her son with her paws.

“I just don’t wanna yell anymore,” Falconkit groaned. “Cedarshade! You need to come down! Tell them to let me come!”

Cedarshade awkwardly hopped down from the stone and walked up to Springcloud. She gave him a heavy warning glare, clinging tighter to Falconkit, while Falconkit looked up at him with beaming and expectant eyes from beneath her arms.

His eyes dashed between the two as he mulled over what could be  _ worse  _ to deal with: A pissed off mom or a crying child?

“Shadestar, what do you think I should do?” Cedarshade asked, willing against a stammer. “Your wisdom knows no bounds, and I will respect whatever you tell me to do.”

Shadestar looked at Cedarshade in irritation and chose not to respond to his question directly, instead bending level to Falconkit again to speak to him.

“Falconkit, two more moons young one, I know you’re restless, but we can’t have you going out right now…” Shadestar let her voice get serious, but not too intimidating, “...you know why, don’t you?”

Falconkit’s beaming eyes slowly became a little more solemn, as though he had suddenly remembered something, but he still had the mind to pout in disdain.

“Yeah, I know why,” he huffed between crossed arms, “I just feel like I’m ready, y’know? I’m getting close to being bigger than Rosepaw!”

Amberpaw snorted at that and spoke up for the second time in this entire debacle, “Rosepaw won’t like it very much if you start trying to overtake her in muscle, Falconkit,” she replied with a smirk.

“Shh,” Shadestar fondly flicked Amberpaw with her tail while she giggled. “We simply have rules to follow, Falconkit, but I’ll break you a deal -- if you get bigger than Rosepaw before the two moons are up, you can go on a patrol with Cedarshade early.”

Springcloud and Falconkit both gasped, one in excitement and the other horrified. “Don’t tell him that! At this rate he’ll _ actually _ do it on willpower alone!” Springcloud hissed.

Falconkit squirmed in excitement in his mother's arms and looked expectantly at Cedarshade, which made him flinch with reproach. For as long as he could remember, Falconkit was reserved to be apprenticed to Cedarshade. Over the moons, Falconkit made a game of pestering and annoying the tom, and while he didn’t necessarily hate it, the level of energy in this kid was incompatible with his “lazier” personality. He was sure the intent from Shadestar was to reel Falconkit in with his patience… or something profound like that… but…

Falconkit’s eyes continued to gleam at him...

“Alright!” Cedarshade called out. “If that’s the end of that decision I can’t argue with Shadestar -- so sorry, Falconkit, soon, I promise -- but I’m going to go ahead and head out now...” 

Cedarshade squirmed through the huddle of she-cats and padded toward the camp’s exit. “...it’s a one man job so don’t get your hopes up, probably gonna be loads’a mice or whatever, get your apprentices to feed you if you can, yeah? Yeah.”

Cedarshade's tail disappeared behind the brush, leaving the she-cats and Falconkit to look on. Shadestar, after confirming the warrior's departure, turned to Springcloud and her child.

“Young one,” Shadestar began, “please be patient. Cedarshade is reserved for you but even he needs to be made, er…  _ ready _ to take on a young apprentice. Especially a special one such as yourself.”

Falconkit giggled. “Yes, ma’am,” he bowed his head. “Patience!”

Springcloud seemed to feel it was safe to finally let Falconkit go from her iron grip and placed him down, which prompted him to shake himself out with the newfound freedom.

“You’re a restless little bugger today,” Springcloud started. “Why don’t you go play with your uncle Timberfur in the medicine den? You know he always  _ loves _ your visits.”

Falconkit’s face didn’t lose its smile but it appeared to fall into a neutral grin.. He looked out at the entrance of the camp longingly, then turned to the medicine den behind him. The entrance was laced in a similar floral arrangement to the rest of the camps except decorated to Timberfur’s liking. Yellow and blue petals laced lightly around the entrance combating the rest of the camp’s rose reds, but normal oak leaves dominated everything else. A simple and non-extravagant den for a simple and non-extravagant man. Falconkit weighed his options: Stay behind and bother his uncle, or continue to tirelessly argue with his mom and the clan’s leader. A decided look crossed his face, and made his choice.

He nodded and widened his mischievous smile. He ran toward the medicine den, tail held high with a yell to warn his uncle of his approach.

“Timberfur! Timberfur!” he yapped, skipping over.

Springcloud sighed in relief that the kit would be entertained with something, and turned to Shadestar and Amberpaw again.

“So, there’s an assessment?” 

“Yes,” Shadestar and Amberpaw responded in unison. Amberpaw looked up with an awkward squint at her mentor and bowed her head to continue to let her speak.

“Sorry,” Amberpaw muttered.

“Oh please, Amberpaw,” Shadestar sighed, placing a comforting paw on her head. “Yes, there are assessments today. There are so many apprentices it’s hard to keep track of individual progress. We’re treating this as a general performance check,” Shadestar pat her paw on Amberpaw’s head twice. “If they bring food home they pass, if they don’t, they fail and get held back a few weeks.”

“That sounds rough,” Springcloud sympathetically responded at Amberpaw. “Back when I was an apprentice, they would just send us out into the field -- no supervision, and didn’t really care either way about prey. We got judged for our fighting skills really,” she gave a nostalgic little laugh.

“I see,” Amberpaw responded with an awkward smile, not sure whether the lack of supervision sounded any easier or harder. “We should be fine. We’re really good hunters and there’s prey everywhere. I’m not worried.”

“ _ You _ should be,” Shadestar emphasized. “You’re my apprentice, and you’ve been purposefully holding back thinking I don’t see you. The other mentors are letting their apprentices do whatever they like, but I need you to be a little better than everyone else and stop letting the other kids trample all over you,”

“Huh? I don’t--”

“So if I see you give a catch that’s clearly yours to Rosepaw or your siblings again, that’s gonna be an immediate deduction, understand?”

“I-I  _ don’t  _ give my catches to Rosepaw!” Amberpaw squealed flustered, ignoring half of the statement.

“I gave you my warning, do with it what you will,” Shadestar replied, gesturing Amberpaw away. “Now go get ready; everyone’s going to meet at the entrance. I’ll be there in a moment.”

Amberpaw, soft blush, her ears pinned and her pelt fluffed up and suddenly tense, walked away, tail pointing straight out and stiff. Once she had gotten the appropriate distance away, Springcloud spoke up again.

“These apprentices,” Springcloud laughed. “Do you remember being like this?”

“Mind-numbingly anxious?” Shadestar side-eyed with a glint of sarcasm in her gaze. “Yeah. Sometimes, and that was because you were a showoff, couldn’t get a word in.”

Springcloud snorted and waved her paw at Shadestar. “Oh, hush. Only one of us here is the leader.”

“Mhm,” Shadestar hummed in agreement. “And don’t forget it, either, when your _ magical son _ grows twice his size tomorrow and I throw him at Cedarshade.” 

“I’m begging you,” Springcloud mockingly whined. “Do not inflate his ego. He’s probably one of the only kids here who’s prepared to do everything and anything at once.”

“Just like Redfeather?” Shadestar chuckled.

“ _ Just _ like him,” Springcloud repeated.

“It makes him amazing, I think,” Shadestar mused. “But trust me, I know. That’s why I held back on giving Cedarshade an apprentice. he’s unbelievably skilled but he might as well be as young as the other apprentices; their level of drive is the same. At least there’s a nice enough gap there, however...” She shrugged and gave a heavy sigh. “I’m worried they might break one another, too. Those toms are both stubborn in different ways.”

Springcloud smiled and looked up at the sky, “I think it’s a smart choice, It’ll help Falconkit take his time a bit more, and honestly, I think somewhere deep down...even if he denies it, Cedarshade has his own unwavering wisdom that will only come out in the right circumstance…”

\--

In the forest, Cedarshade, light footed and graceful, swept up two mice under his paws and killed them with a few claw strokes in the air. They landed with a soft  _ plop  _ on the ground in which he cleanly brushed some lingering leaves over.

“I can’t believe they’re making me do this,” he groaned aloud and in agony, easily catching another mouse without even looking as it tried to escape from his left side, “All alone… one cat only has so much energy…”

Dumping that one mouse onto the pile, he clamored forward on heavy paws. There was a light breeze that sent all sorts of smells in his direction, and out of the corner of his eye he spotted another mouse that he stared at for a moment. 

The mouse slowly looked in his direction to catch his eye. 

Cedarshade, comically bored and exhausted.

The mouse, horrified. 

The mouse took a few steps back, too carefully, and scampered away, causing Cedarshade to react and shoot forward. However, having to put  _ actual _ effort into the catch made him sloppy. He took a hard nose dive into the hole of a tree the mouse hid himself in and cursed to himself. Cedarshade reached his paw in the hole feeling around and scraping his claws around the edges.

“C’mon, rat…” He groaned, “I know this is hard to deal with. I don’t want to be doing it either, but it’s me or the teens. Do  _ you  _ wanna be hunted down by a bunch of teens later?”

He continued digging around before his ear twitched at the sound of shuffling nearby, making him pause.

He squinted in the direction of the sound and noticed a tiny white paw move into a bush.

He looked back at the hole. “You live another day, rat.” 

Cedarshade turned and padded away from the tree to follow the flash of white fur. It looked like a rabbit, and he knew that would save some hungry complaints later. Ducking his head into the bush, he saw that the area had been exited and pivoted around the space. The branches were broken and there was dried blood on the leaves and on the ground that accented the makeshift burrow.

“It’s injured…” He whispered, “Unfortunate for it, easy for me.”

Crossing out on the opposite side of the bush, he saw the white figure in full. Bleeding from the back of his leg and on his shoulder, Cedarshade began to crouch and looked at it a little harder…

With wide eyes he realized...That’s not a rabbit, that’s a  _ kitten _ . 

He felt like he should be unnerved by the fact, but his affect remained unfazed. It was probably another Clan’s kit… but… he needed to be careful about what to do next. He could scare it or, even worse, be accused of hurting it… and if that were to happen...

The kitten collapsed, causing Cedarshade to refocus on it, and he immediately started hissing up at the sky. Following the threatening sound, Cedarshade looked up with him and widened his eyes in shock. There was a large hawk circling the kit, ready to smuggle him up at any moment.

_ Has he been outrunning this thing the whole time? _

The kit struggled to get himself to stand, falling over again, and the hawk seemed to be watching him intently, teasing him and waiting until he was satisfied enough to swoop down.

“Fuck this bird,” Cedarshade hissed to himself, taking his eyes away for a second to see the kit had managed to lift himself up and use what was left of his strength to glare at the hawk on his shaking feet. This seemed to be the signal the hawk was looking for-- it took one last swirl around before diving forward.

“Oh no!” Cedarshade finally raised his voice, scrambling himself out of the crouching position and shooting forward. 

If he didn’t act now -- that kitten was going to be a goner, he had no idea how he was going to fight off the larger animal on his own...but if he could just  _ get _ there.

Meanwhile, the kit itself hadn’t taken his gaze off the hawk. Cedarshade realized that he was likely intending to keep the eye contact until he had been swept up, but the fear in his eyes grew as the hawk came closer. Putting all his strength into kicking his hindlegs forward, he dove into the small white bundle and clenched the scruff of his fur between his teeth.

However, the grab was messy and he found himself in a hard tumble on the ground with a large thud. 

The kit has his eyes shut tight, and he hissed as the sting of his wounds clearly caught up to him. 

Hesitantly, it looked up to see what or  _ who _ grabbed it and he met terrified eyes with his tortoiseshell-rescuer. Cedarshade lifted himself up fast from his fall, taking a minute to shake out the impact, and huffed out a stressful breath.

“Shit!” He hissed between clenched teeth, turning and sprinting.

The hawk stomped its talons into the ground as if it were fed up with the cats’ antics. It shot straight at the two cats with reckless abandon.

But Cedarshade was faster. He fell back to the hole of a tree which stank with the smell of the kitten’s blood. He realized with a sickening feeling in his gut that he must’ve been hiding in there the whole night, and dashed that direction. Putting as much force into his hind legs as possible he thrust himself into a ball, covering the kit close to him around his arms and let his back slam against the inside of the tree to protect him. 

The hawk, now frustrated, dug its beak into the tree hole trying to reach the two cats, while Cedarshade pressed himself back as far as he could. This went on for a couple of uninterrupted and loud minutes before the bird gave up. Angrily glaring at the tree hole, flying back up to the top of the tree branches, except this time the tree right across from the one the cats were trapped in, so he could be alert the minute they tried to walk out.

Cedarshade’s breaths were slow and heavy with exhaustion, but the kitten was back to glaring eye to eye with the bird, the determination returning.

Cedarshade shook the kitten's shoulder.

He turned to look up at his rescuer, who looked irritated.

“Are you paying attention? I said we’re going to have to be here for a while.”

The kitten nodded.

“Until then… tell me where are you from?”

The kit’s memory was a little blurry, the blood loss combined with the hunger was making him react purely on instinct, but in the very dark depths of his mind...he remembered what the answer to this question was supposed to be.

“Mind your business,” the kitten said bluntly.

“Mind my -- ? ” Cedarshade hissed. “I'm trying to  _ help  _ you, kid!”

“I am from -- mind your business,” he huffed angrily.

“Your mom must’ve taught you to say that… so that means you’re definitely not a Clan cat, fine.” He turned the kitten around in a safe position and started to lick at his wounds, “ _ Fine _ … until a patrol comes, let’s get this treated. I’ve walked into a couple of thorn bushes enough to know how to handle cuts a little… sit still...”

The kitten missed that last bit entirely and spat at Cedarshade when his tongue drew over the open wounds.

“Relax,” Cedarshade gave a nicer lick at the top of his head, which the kitten widened his eyes at. He seemed to understand that gesture more, and relaxed, letting the warrior tend to his wounds the best he could.

From across the way, the hawk stayed and stared at the two inside the trunk from the tree branch unwaveringly.

\--

“And then I said, ‘Winterpaw, it’s not our fault you’re slow to the fresh-kill pile, try again next time.’ And _ just  _ as she was about to tell us off, Grizzlypaw pulled out three mice from behind his back that he saved just for her! It was nice…” Falconkit mused, “but the look on her face was  _ so _ funny. You should have seen it, Timberfur!”

Falconkit fell backward, howling in laughter, as the grey-tabby cat beside him snorted and dug through the shelves of his den. 

“You and Grizzlypaw need to leave that poor girl alone,” Timberfur muttered, hiding his entertained smile behind his work. Falconkit peered over his shoulder to try and catch him laughing but suddenly became interested in the work instead.

“Oh, oh! I can name those -- “ Falconkit squealed tripping on himself to get closer and point them all out, “Catmint -- coltsfoot -- deathberries -- aaannddd marigold!”

Timberfur’s eyes widened, and he turned curiously to Falconkit. “Do you… honestly think those are deathberries?”

“Just kidding, I know those are poppy seeds,” Falconkit giggled as he tried to bump his side on Timberfur’s but collapsed the opposite way in the process.

“Good job, four out of four,” Timberfur grinned. “If you weren’t such a rambunctious and giant child you might have made a perfect medicine cat apprentice.”

“Wouldn’t mind that,” Falconkit hummed as he danced around. “Then I’d get to hang out with you all day!”

“You’d get bored. You’re only having fun because it’s all still new to you. You’re your father through and through, restless and smart. Being a warrior is in your blood.”

“You think so?” Falconkit beamed, pausing his dancing to climb up on one of the seating rocks in the den, “today Shadestar told Mom that if I get bigger than Rosepaw she’d apprentice me to Cedarshade early!”

“Ah...that’s a threat,” Timberfur smiled awkwardly, “Springcloud would hate that, please be nice to my lovely sister and stay a tiny kit forever, would you?”

“No way!” Falconkit laughed, “now  _ that’s _ boring!”

Timberfur strut over to Falconkit, lifting him off the seat and back onto the ground, ruffling his hair and sighing, “It’s hard to watch kids grow up, so be nice to your mom, even when you’re big and strong...let her baby you a little, okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” Falconkit laughed ducking away.

Timberfur smiled at the young kitten, and walked away. However, before he could get back to work he was interrupted by the sound of the vine entrance shuffling about, indicating someone had walked in.

“Timberfur,” Shadestar came in exhaustedly, “I need to talk to you.”

“So late? Is everything alright?” Timberfur asked, a twinge of concern in his voice.

“It’s Cedarshade,” she hissed under her breath. “He’s been gone since this morning and the sun is setting. The apprentices are still out training and he’s nowhere to be seen.”

Falconkit perked his ears up.

“I’m sure he’s out there sleeping or something,” Shadestar groaned. “I gave him a simple task. Falconkit -- I’m sorry for what’s to come and I promise I won’t let your mentor remain this irresponsible.”

Falconkit nodded at that quietly, letting his face show some discontentment at the implications.

“Timberfur, when he gets back, I need you just force him to do a check up, see what’s causing this laziness. I’m at my wit’s end.” Shadestar rubbed her temple before continuing. “I don’t like yelling at my warriors, so please just let me know if there’s something else causing the problem.”

Timberfur bowed his head and responded, “Yes, ma’am, I’ll do an extensive check. He might just be tired.”

“I’ll let him sleep for three moons straight if that’s it,” she responded dryly. “Just let me know, thank you.”

Shadestar turned and walked out calmly, while Timberfur and Falconkit watched her exit with unmoving eyes until she was out of their sight. 

“Alright,” Timberfur started. “Back to the grind…”

He stalked away and went back to rummaging through his supplies, quietly muttering to himself. Falconkit continued staring out the medicine den, his interest at the exit of the camp increasing.

Falconkit couldn’t help but think it was unfair to think so little of Cedarshade. He was a warrior, wasn’t he? He was supposed to mentor his first apprentice soon, wasn’t he? Falconkit had only been allowed to walk out of the nursery recently, but he knew enough to know when Cedarshade was on the job, he was going to get it done. Being slow to start is different from being unreliable, and to think so low of him before even trying to look...

“Um…” Falconkit started, “Timberfur, I think I’m gonna go back to the nursery.”

With a fake yawn, he walked backwards out the medicine den, continuing, “You’re right… this is a little too boring, I’m so sleepy…”

“Hm?” Timberfur responded half-paying attention. “Yeah -- yeah, go rest...I know this isn’t for kits. Tell Springcloud I said hello and thank you for coming,”

“Of course, Uncle!” Falconkit smiled, “I will! Thank you!”

When Falconkit successfully backed out of the den and confirmed Timberfur was lost in his work, he whipped around, tail high. With a newly determined look in his eyes he started toward the exit of the camp and headed straight out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter dropped!
> 
> Some important links for those of you who got to the bottom :)
> 
> First and foremost, a Clan Listing is available, it's pretty bare-bones but eventually I'll link the toyhou.se with the characters canon designs attached to the listing: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26097574
> 
> For now keep an eye-out @wc_pitfall and my Instagram, I'm posting designs as characters are revealed ;)
> 
> Second of all! Patrons will be getting Chapter 2 this coming Tuesday (like the Prologue), otherwise Pitfall is set to update EVERY FRIDAY from here on out. If you would like to join the first tier to get first access to chapters here ya go: https://www.patreon.com/celestialtabris
> 
> Lastly, please support my wonderful beta's named at the top! They've been doing a wonderful job and these wouldn't be as great without their hardwork.
> 
> Thank you so much! Y'all have a wonderful evening.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for joining me on this journey! 
> 
> Chapters are slated for release every Friday and every Tuesday for patrons. If you would like to get first dibs on chapters you can sign up to the cheapest tier and get immediate access to updates ahead of everyone else.
> 
> https://www.patreon.com/celestialtabris


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